It's not easy shopping for the artistic type, and sometimes thinking outside the box goes beyond the time-consuming holiday shopping list. Don't worry; we've done the leg work at various artist-centric gift shops around the city--and of course, online--along with a few ideas to motivate an eclectic shopping spree:

This mini shop of student art from Columbia College carries quite impressive photographs, unique stationary, stylish dresses, eclectic fashion accessories and bags, interesting silk-screen prints (I found one with a squid fighting a polar bear), and a plethora of art of various media. The shop, which opened a little over a year ago, is an opportunity for students to make money off their art year-round. While the online shop isn't set up yet, the shop on campus is like an art-instillation in itself, with a claw-machine of t-shirts and vending machines of buttons.

For the sky-watchers and stargazers in your life, planetary figurines, historical instruments and celestial globes make for memorable gifts. If you thought it was impossible to quantify a black hole into a glass paperweight, you might get stuck with gifting Uranus, no seriously, cheep pun aside, both available, alongside others. And yes, that's a "future astronaut sippy cup" in the accessories section. The shop itself carries a larger selection, including top-of-the-line telescopes and sundials.